G.Org: A New Kind of Blue

Paying homage can be risky business, especially when the source is as seminal as Miles Davis' classic Kind of Blue. Comparisons are not just begged, they're expected. And how can anyone hope to capture the same magic? Or the confluence of events that put Davis, Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb together to create one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, an album that changed the face of music and pointed ears in a completely new direction?

The answer is: you can't. And producer Gary Guthrie doesn't even try. Instead, with A New Kind of Blue , what he has done is collect some fine players together with the purpose of reinterpreting Miles' groundbreaking album in a reverential yet contemporary fashion. If you can get past the fact that this is literally a track-by-track remake, and appreciate it for its fine playing that looks back while remaining firmly in the present day, then you're in for a grand time.

There are some notable differences. Without the length restrictions of vinyl, the group has more room to stretch out. Including trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonist Andy Snitzer bassist David Finck, drummer Victor Lewis and pianist Mike Ricchiuti, in an unusual move, guitarist Chuck Loeb lends a credible nod to how Wes Montgomery might have approached the material, were he invited to participate on the session. "All Blues" extends to nearly 22 minutes and, while this could be too much of a good thing, the group maintains interest by changing feels liberally throughout, in particular shifting gears halfway, following a tasteful muted solo by Brecker, to a more contemporary light funk before returning to a more traditional approach at its conclusion.

Brecker, Finck and Lewis are ideal choices, with broad reaches that allow them to embrace the past and present concurrently, while less-obvious choices Snitzer and Loeb, better known for their smooth jazz work, fit the concept perfectly. Guthrie eliminates the question of how influential Bill Evans' "Alone Together" was in the creation of "Blue in Green," by quoting Evans' arrangement for Chet Baker at the start of the track. And by placing Evans' "Peace Piece" at the start of "Flamenco Sketches," Guthrie proves what people have known all along: that Evans deserved more credit for Kind of Blue's conceptions than Miles ever gave him credit.

Purists may cringe at such a literal reinterpretation of a timeless recording like Kind of Blue. To be certain, A New Kind of Blue is not destined to become a classic, either in its musical impact or the performances, which are strong but don't have the kind of "wow factor" of the original. What Guthrie has created, with his g.org band, is an homage that sheds some light on the musical connection between Evans and Davis, lends a contemporary and extended spin to some ageless material and, quite simply, makes for an entertaining if not illuminating listen.

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